The role of volcanoes in the demise of dinosaurs

[Eldorado]

Earth has experienced five major mass extinction events over the past 500 million years. Massive volcanic eruptions have been identified as the major driver of the environmental changes that precipitated at least three of these extinction events.

The fifth and most recent event—the end-Cretaceous mass extinction—occurred 66 million years ago and was responsible for wiping out dinosaurs. Researchers have long debated whether gas emissions from volcanic eruptions from the Deccan Traps (an enormous volcanic province located in India) or the impact of a large asteroid is most responsible for causing the climate changes that triggered that event.

Full monty at Phys Org

Reconciling early Deccan Traps CO2 outgassing and pre-KPB global climate

Research paper at PNAS

[Piney]

One theory is the large asteroid set off the Deccan Traps. 

[jethrofloyd]